S.D. Deacon Corp. of Washington
Lakewood Towne Center
Owner: MBK Northwest Ltd.
Architect: Benner Strange Associates Architects
Lakewood Towne Center is a multi-faceted $15 million project involving the transformation of an enclosed, partially vacant and rundown mall into an attractive 900,000-square-foot open-air retail and entertainment center designed to serve as a community gathering place.
Following a significant renovation to enhance the mall’s exterior for the few retail storefronts that would remain, S.D. Deacon Corp. of Washington demolished 400,000 square feet of enclosed mall and some peripheral retail space in parking areas. The retail area was reconfigured to accommodate 10 major tenants, which required Deacon to remove old utilities, install new site power, lighting systems, telecommunications and cable.
Subsequently, the project team built five 150,000-square-foot buildings for key big-box retailers Old Navy, Ross Dress for Less, Bed Bath & Beyond, Michaels and G.I. Joe’s, incorporating wood and steel tower and canopy elements to meet tenant specifications. The final phase of the project involved 150,000 square feet of turnkey tenant improvements for four core tenants and additional improvements for other retailers.
To manage the challenge of nearly continuous rain, the superintendent and project manager worked closely with the subcontractors in rearranging phasing and carefully scheduled construction of auger cast piles and concrete pouring. When they found that the original design put the storm water system below groundwater level, the Deacon team kept the project on track by coordinating directly with the design team, subcontractor and city officials to re-design and obtain approval of the system on-site.
Deacon worked with Benner Strange Associates Architects and ABC members Audio Acoustics, K2MG Interiors, Lakeridge Plumbing & Mechanical, Lockett Construction, Kirby Electric and Smith Fire Systems.